Where Is the Glory?

If we as God's people would but examine ourselves with an honest heart, we would soon discover just how far short we have come with regard to the glory of God. Do we measure up to the outshining of God's glory such as we find in the life of Moses? I am not speaking so much about the visible light that shone from his face, but of that inner light that God has for us in the New Covenant. I am sure we have all envied that marvelous experience that Moses had with the God of Israel. But hear what Paul says, "Not as Moses!... Not as Moses!... Not as Moses!" Clearly there is a ministration of the glory of God for us in this day of the New Covenant that far exceeds what Moses had, as far as the glory of the sun exceeds the glory of the moon!

Now the moon reflects the glory of the sun, and is likened to the Church which reflects the glory of Christ. But hear what the prophet says about the moon: "Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun...

Beloved, can we not see what God has in mind for His people? A people who shall walk in the full glory and radiance of the Sun of Righteousness Himself, the Lord Jesus! And does this in any way detract from the glory of the exalted Christ? Ah, no! Rather it means that as God's glory increases in His people, that glory redounds again and again to the glory of the exalted Christ, for the prophet continues:

"And the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, And healeth the stroke of their wound" (Isa. 30:26).

Oh, that God's people might comprehend this glorious fact, that it is only when the people of the Lord are walking in total union with Christ, and the glory of Christ shines forth through them, that Christ Himself is truly glorified. Jesus was charged with blasphemy and for robbing God of His glory because He claimed to live in total union with the Father, and did only what the Father was pleased to do through Him. The fact that Jesus performed miracles was no problem. They would crown Him King for that! But when He said, "It is not I, but the Father who doeth these things," He got into all kinds of trouble. As surely as God's people begin to walk in union with Him who is pure Light, there is going to be a radiating of that glory to those about us. And this will mean a releasing of the glory of God to those who sit in darkness, and who long for deliverance; but at the same time we can expect to receive a lot of scorn and ridicule from those who love darkness rather than light.

"Dear Lord, when You were crucified on Calvary, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And even as the veil was torn asunder, the high priest as he stood at the altar of incense could look within and see for himself that the glory of God was not there, for the Glory had long since departed. Nevertheless the dying priesthood of an old order continued to carry on with a religion of dead works, and patched up the old veil that was rent because their own hearts were veiled in blindness. But give us, oh Lord, perceptive hearts and minds, that as we behold Your flesh torn asunder for us, we might see Your glory revealed in the Temple not made with hands. Let us not draw back from beholding Your glory, like Israel of old; but give us more grace to come to the Light, that all the works of darkness within us might be dispelled by the radiance of Your presence, even as the shadows of night dissolve at the breaking of the day. May our whole being be flooded with Light, as we come under Your shadow to abide, that there might be a complete transformation within and without; and that men might know that Christ has indeed visited His people once again."